Now Trending: Your Digital Footprint

Times have changed. Social media is so much more than the golden ages of Facebook and MySpace. These days, people curate entire personas that generate massive, mind-blowing followings of millions. They are so committed to these personas that they ultimately become a career. These personas, or influencers, become full-time, bill-paying jobs — and it’s no secret as to why.

Consumerism has shifted significantly within the past decade. Influencers really do just that, influence, and it has altered modern marketing forever. People aren’t sitting in front of the tv watching commercials like they used to. Although, recently, a Burger King commercial went viral on TikTok due to its catchy jingle. Some traditional strategies still work.

Now, people are talking about the so-called “digital footprint” and what it means for social media users in their IRL world. To put it simply, your digital footprint is everything you’ve ever posted on the internet. That’s right, even that thing you said 15 years ago in passing on a friend’s Facebook post can still be found by potential employers, love interests, or higher education. It’s critical to keep your digital footprint as clean as possible.

That said, “clean” looks different to every individual. One person may operate their social media presence like they’re aiming to star on Disney Channel, while another is perfectly fine using words that reality shows of old would have “bleeped” out. Our best advice to you is to stay authentic to yourself. What makes you happy? Post that; so long as it is not inherently harmful, of course.

If you continuously post content that is uplifting, entertaining, and harmless, you’re probably fine. Just don’t be surprised when your job interviewer pulls up that Instagram post from your last frat party.